«فُقَرَا ويِمْشُوا مَشْيِ الْأُمَرَا»

The saying ridicules people who copy the bearing and habits of those ranked far above them; its emirs stand for rulers and the powerful generally, not a specific modern title. It sets real poverty against a borrowed swagger, so the gap between what someone has and how they present themselves becomes the target of the joke.

Beyond simple vanity, it suggests that putting on airs is both foolish and transparent. Taking on the gait of the powerful cannot change one's actual situation, and onlookers can see through the pretense, which makes the imitation itself the point of scorn.

Use it as a pointed jab at a single person or a group whose manner and display outstrip their real standing, such as acting grand without the means. Though phrased in the plural, it fits either. It is mocking, so aiming it at someone directly can come across as insulting.